Bureau Veritas supports Wings for Aid in scaling up drone-based humanitarian logistics in East Africa

A first large-scale deployment in Kenya

Wings for Aid has deployed for an international organization and is now preparing to launch its first full-scale deployment in Kenya to deliver essential supplies—including medicine—to underserved and hard-to-reach communities. These operations will be conducted using Wings for Aid’s unique MiniFreighter drone, a fixed-wing unmanned aircraft capable of carrying up to 160 kilograms of cargo over 250 kilometers, with precision airdrop capability and minimal ground infrastructure.

To ensure regulatory approval and lay the groundwork for future scale-up, Wings for Aid has entrusted Bureau Veritas with a two-pronged mission:

• Development of a full SORA (Specific Operations Risk Assessment) package tailored to Kenya’s civil aviation authority (KCAA), preparing for BVLOS operations;
• A comprehensive Organizational Assessment, evaluating Wings for Aid’s structure, safety management systems, operational maturity, and overall readiness for international humanitarian logistics.

Aerospace expertise for high-impact innovation

The support project is led by the Aerospace & Space Division of Bureau Veritas, headquartered in Toulouse, France, and involves a multidisciplinary team of UAS regulatory and risk assessment specialists.

Mickael Clermont - Aeronautics Director Bureau Veritas Exploitation France : “Wings for Aid is developing 'advanced air mobility' and is in the early stages. They approached us to help assess and anticipate the risks of this evolution. We are proud that BV's trust and quality standard led to this new cooperation, and we are pleased to partner with and support Wings for Aid's safe and sustainable development.”

Barry Koperberg, Founder and General Manager of Wings for Aid, added: “With Bureau Veritas by our side, we are better equipped to meet the expectations of authorities, donors and partners. This partnership brings structure, credibility and confidence to our scale-up efforts.”

Setting a benchmark for drone-enabled humanitarian delivery

This partnership aims to create a replicable framework for compliant and scalable humanitarian drone operations. Initial regulatory coordination and document preparation will begin in June 2025, with VLOS operations in Kenya planned for September. The SORA package and organizational roadmap are expected to be finalized by late autumn, providing a foundation for BVLOS operations and broader international scale-up.
Such partnerships help redefine what is possible in humanitarian logistics, demonstrating how innovation and independent oversight can work hand in hand to reach the world’s most isolated communities. By unlocking new pathways for delivering essential services where conventional means fall short, these efforts contribute to building more agile, inclusive, and resilient supply chains – in alignment with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, including: 
•    SDG 3 – Good Health and Well-being
•    SDG 9 – Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure
•    SDG 17 – Partnerships for the Goals